12-06-16 CFB: Launch of Coloradans for Immigration Reform Initiative

CFB: Launch of Coloradans for Immigration Reform Initiative

DENVER, CO – December 6, 2016 – Today, a coalition of business and community leaders from across Colorado launched Coloradans for Immigration Reform Organization, an initiative of the New American Economy (NAE). The effort is one of a dozen statewide coalitions calling for a responsible solution to the country’s broken immigration system that secures the border, grows the economy, and recognizes that America cannot and should not engage in mass deportations of millions of productive members of society.

The event included comments from:

Chad Vorthmann, Executive Vice-President of the Colorado Farm Bureau

Mizrain Cordero, VP of Govt Affairs, Denver Chamber of Commerce

Jeff Wasden, President of CO Business Roundtable

Michael Fortney, Consultant with Clear Creek Strategies

AUDIO ONLY from the press conference

ORIGINAL PRESS RELEASE

Colorado leaders launch Business Coalition forImmigration Reform

Denver, Colorado — Today, a coalition of business and community leaders from across Colorado launched Coloradans for Immigration Reform, an initiative of the New American Economy (NAE). The effort is one of a dozen statewide coalitions calling for a responsible solution to the country’s broken immigration system that secures the border, grows the economy, and recognizes that America cannot and should not engage in mass deportations of millions of productive members of society.

“Our business community understands the important role immigrants play in our communities as employers, employees, neighbors and leaders. The Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce is supportive of efforts like this that bring together people of all backgrounds and politics around rational and collaborative immigration policy change,” stated Kelly Brough, CEO and President of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce.

A recent study by NAE underlines the critical role that immigrants play in Colorado’s economy. In Colorado, immigrants make up 10 percent of the state’s population and contributed $1 billion in taxes, or over 8 percent of the total share in 2014. That same year, immigrants earned nearly $14.1 billion, or 8.4 percent of all income earned by Colorado residents. Additionally, more than 30,000 self-employed immigrants generated $566.4 million worth of business income in Colorado in 2014. These and other compelling statistics on immigrants in Colorado can be found HERE.

“Effective immigration reform means protecting and securing our borders while still allowing for the free movement of labor and good. The current immigration system responds to the demands of all industries far too slowly, fails to follow visa holders through expiration, and turns away high and low skilled workers far too often,” stated Chad Vorthmann, Executive Vice President of the Colorado Farm Bureau. “This failure is costing our economy daily and cannot continue, our coalition is committed to finding a solution that works for everyone.”

The twelve coalitions of state and local leaders organized to make sure that Congress understands that fixing our country’s broken immigration system means more than just securing the border. The United States immigration system requires a broader solution that provides for the security of Americans and their jobs, the advancement of the economy, and a path to legal status for the undocumented immigrants who work and live in American communities.

New American Economy (NAE) brings together more than 500 Republican, Democratic and Independent mayors and business leaders who support immigration reforms that will help create jobs for Americans today. NAE members include mayors of more than 35 million people nationwide and business leaders of companies that generate more than $1.5 trillion and employ more than 4 million people across all sectors of the economy, from Agriculture to Aerospace, Hospitality to High Tech and Media to Manufacturing. NAE members understand that immigration is essential to maintaining the productive, diverse and flexible workforce that America needs to ensure prosperity over the coming generations. Learn more atwww.RenewOurEconomy.org. For more information about the New American Economy (NAE) please visit www.RenewOurEconomy.org